Best Tips to Keep Geraniums Blooming: Spring To Fall
Did you know that Geraniums will bloom from early Spring to late Fall if you know how to take care of them? Today I’m sharing my best tips to keep geranium flowers blooming all season long. Plus, you will learn whether geraniums are perennials or annuals and how to save them from year to year.
I have had great success growing Geraniums for several years. I don’t claim to be a master gardener or an expert. However, I was taught this trick by an eccentric master gardener, and it has served me well for many years.
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This is the lesson I learned from my eccentric but very talented friend. She said the best tip to keep geranium flowers blooming all summer long is to break off the blooms almost as soon as they appear! What???? I was shocked and upset when one day, she started to remove all the beautiful blooms from my plant. Although she explained why, I still wasn’t so sure. However, I’ve never forgotten her or her tips, and here is how I know she was right.
Filling the galvanized containers and hanging welcome baskets with red geraniums gives the porch a patriotic feel.
Note: The hanging basket is filled with faux ferns and fade-resistant faux geraniums. They also look great all season. LOL
What Are The Best Care Tips for Geraniums
First, geraniums are hardy, need less water, and enjoy a sunny spot.
There are some types of geraniums that are perennial and can survive in the ground in warmer climates. However, in this post, I’m referring to potted geraniums.
I always have several on my front porch, which receives intense evening sun, and they thrive there.
I shared this outdoor kitchen tour and used several of my geraniums to brighten the space.
#1 Tip – Deadhead to Keep Geraniums Blooming
This is so super easy to do because they pinch off so easily. Just follow the bloom stem to the point it connects to the larger stem, and you will feel a slight nub. Break at the nub and remove the bloom.
Dead Head from the base of the stem.
This is a bloom that I would remove immediately.
Insider Tip
You will be resistant to removing a beautiful bloom, and honestly, you CAN wait until you see it start to fade. But don’t let it linger too long, or you’ll slow down the process.
Note: When I know I have company coming or plan to photograph my plants, I don’t remove the blooms until they are almost completely spent.
#2 Tip – Remove Dead or Fading Leaves
Just as important as removing the bloom, dead leaves and those that are fading will continue to draw nutrients from the plant. I make a practice of removing those each time I deadhead the blooms. You also want to remove the leaf at the nub as well.
You can see the slight nub at the end of the blooms and leaves.
#3 Tip – Water REGULARLY But Not Too Often
Geraniums don’t require daily watering. Usually, 3 times a week will keep them healthy. Obviously, during extreme heat, you may need to give them an extra drink or two. I also feed my geraniums at least every two weeks for Miracle Grow Plant Food.
Insider Tip
Keep your soil damp longer by recycling wine corks.
Add a few corks to the soil around your potted flowers, and they will help to keep the soil moist longer.
#4 Tip – Decorate With Your Geranium Flowers
If you are deadheading your blooms frequently, don’t just toss those lovely geranium flowers. Bring them inside and enjoy the blooms.
How To Save Geraniums While on Vacation?
Here is another tip my friend shared with me about keeping my geraniums looking good all summer long. Remove all the blooms before you go on vacation.
If you plan to be gone for several days, you are not going to miss these blooms anyway.
Nutrients will be saved, and most likely, you’ll return to a plant full of blooms.
After one week on vacation, the above blooms were waiting for me when I returned home.
Watering While On Vacation
If you are like me and don’t have a sprinkler system, keeping your plants alive while on vacation is a challenge. However, you don’t want to come home to dead flowers.
To keep the geraniums watered, move all plants to a central spot that is slightly shady but will still get rain.
Place them inside tubs or containers that will hold water, or use these watering spikes for short trips.
If you are on an extended vacation, plan to have someone check on your plants and provide a water hose that is convenient.
Are Geraniums Perennials?
Are geraniums perennials? That’s a good question!
There are some variations of geraniums that are perennials. However, most will freeze and not return next spring. A lot depends on how the geraniums are planted and the hardiness zone you live in.
In our Zone 7 area, I’ve never had one to survive even a mild winter if left outdoors. However, you can save geraniums from year to year with these tips to overwinter them.
I’ve had good success dividing my geraniums at the end of the season and therefore have several new plants once spring arrives.
A Brief Friendship Has a Life-Changing Impact
My friend was a talented interior designer as well as a master gardener. She shared so many design ideas with me that I still use them today in my home decor. She died shortly after I met her, but her impact on my design style lives on. In addition, every time I remove a geranium bloom, I think of her.
Resources
Click any image to see all resources.
More Tips and Links
- How to Keep Your Porch Looking Fresh All Summer.
- How to Overwinter Plants
- Outdoor Kitchen Tour with geraniums.
Thanks so much for stopping by today.
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Good Morning Rachel
Love this post. I adore Geraniums and two years ago decided to try growing them from seed. I start in the winter and haven’t purchased any new plants in 2 years. Love them so much. Thank you for the great tips, will certainly do them
deezie
Deezie,
I’m so glad to help. Thanks so much.
Where do I buy the seeds?
Teresa,
I’ve never planted geraniums from seed. I just purchase at our local garden shop.
These are great tips. I gasped when you first began tge story of your friend doing what she did to yours.
Funny, I didn’t realize they liked blazing afternoon sun. If I didn’t have MS I would try again on my front porch. Deadheading isn’t easy on a regular basis.
Cindy
Cindy,
I appreciate your comments and I agree it’s not always easy, but when I make myself do it, it’s amazing how they grow. I hope you have the best day.
Rachel
So sorry you didn’t have a longer relationship with your new friend.
I, like you, would have been shocked to have a new friend reach down and take off my beautiful geraniums. I find in gardening, which I love, sometimes you have to be a little forward thinking so our plants give us their very best. Pruning can be painful but it helps the plants so much.
Quite frankly, I find this also relates to our own life. Having a friend who tells us the truth, even though it feels painful, makes a better person.
Rachel, thank you for being an inspiration to all of us.
Diana,
Thank you for your kind words and what you said is so true. I appreciate this so much.
Loved your heartwarming story. Flowers are the best way to make forever friends😃 I consider you as one of mine 💕
June,
Thanks so much. I really appreciate your sweet compliments.
Unfortunately here in Florida, no amount of pinching and prodding or begging, geraniums just won’t last all summer. They bloom themselves like crazy and just give up about the 4th of July. But, we start with them so early, so I can’t blame the geraniums!
THANK U FOR THE GERANIUMS TIPS….i Also feed my plant with
coffee grinds…they look terrific….this is there second season..
Susan,
I’m so glad this helped.
Thanks for all the info on geraniums. Such great tips!
Mary-Ann
Thank you for stopping by. I’m glad you found this helpful.
Rachel, great tips. Recently my husband cut the geranium flowers off, vs. snapping them off at the nubs. I swear I didn’t have any flowers for the longest time. They are slowly recovering but I think it’s so important to deadhead them the right way. Great tips~especially love the cork idea. I’ve never heard of that!
Mary,
I’m so glad you found this helpful. Thanks for stopping by.
@Rache, what do you fertilize with? Is Miracle-Gro ok?
Linda,
Yes, I use miracle-gro.
What can I do about bugs feasting on my leave??
Dianne,
I’ve not had a lot of bug problems, but if I see them start, I use seven dust. I just sprinkle a little in the area and some around the top of the soil.